Dear beloved, brothers and sisters, the Supreme Court of Kenya judgement delivered on Friday, September 1, 2017 nullified the presidential election results and ordered a fresh election within 60 days. Depending on which presidential candidate you voted for, you either celebrated the ‘doing of the Lord’ in the ruling or cursed the devil for his interference with ‘God’s Will’. Whichever the case, the question that has lingered in my mind since the ruling has been what I should do and what my response to the foregoing as a Christian in Kenya should be.
This morning, as I was thinking about the forthcoming repeat presidential election in Kenya as ordered by the Supreme Court of Kenya, my spirit was drawn to the story of Matthias being chosen to replace Judas as recorded in the book of Acts 1:12-26. This story provides an example of democracy at work when balloting was used to elect a leader. The story provides some principles which should be an example of what I consider to be the role and responsibility of the Kenyan Christians in the forthcoming presidential election.
- We are called to maintain unity. The company of the persons maintained Unity irrespective of their persuasions. Verse 14 records “...all in one accord…” This scripture clearly indicates that even after balloting and making different choices, they remained united. Jesus prayed that we all be one in John 17:20-23. The world will know we are Christians by our love (John 13:35). We have one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all in all…(Ephesians 4:5-6). Let’s maintain our unity of faith irrespective of our political persuasions or affiliations.
- We are to pray for God’s help to make the right choice. This company devoted themselves to prayer (Vs. 14) and when the hour of choice came, they asked for God’s guidance to make the right choice. “And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship.” Acts 1:24-25. You have no right to go to the ballot to make a choice if you have not asked the Lord to guide you. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NKJV). And while we look at the countenance, the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). May the Lord guide you to make the right choice when you ask of Him.
- We are called to exercise our responsibility of casting the ballot. However much we pray, we must take the initiative of walking to the polling station on the polling day and cast our ballot. After prayer for God’s guidance, the company exercised their responsibility. You have a responsibility on the voting day to cast or ballot. Bad leaders are put into office by people who do not take action by casting their vote. Faith without action is dead (James 2:17) and so we need to put our faith into action.
- We will need to prepare and accept the outcome either way. What we know from the Scripture is that when the ballot cast fell on Matthias, he was numbered with the eleven apostles. That means he was accepted both by those who voted for him and those who didn’t. Some of the people must have voted for Joseph. And they must have prayed for God to guide their choice. And eventually, he did not get the majority of the votes that he needed to join the apostles. That did not invalidate their prayer in any way. Let us prepare to accept whoever will be declared duly elected to be our next president.
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16). As Christians, we are called to be the salt and light in Kenya and the world of course! Will you live to that expectation?
